Photodynamic Therapy (cont.)

Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD

Dr. Cole is board certified in dermatology. He obtained his BA degree in bacteriology, his MA degree in microbiology, and his MD at the University of California, Los Angeles. He trained in dermatology at the University of Oregon, where he completed his residency.

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

What is a typical skin PDT session like?

You may be given a written procedure consent form to read and sign before your first treatment. The medical staff may
take some pretreatment photography prior to applying the photosensitizer
medication.

In the treatment room, you may be sitting or comfortably lying back
on a table. Often a thorough cleansing of the face is done using alcohol and or
acetone to degrease the skin. The less oil on the skin, the more readily the
skin will absorb the applied topical medication.

The photosensitizer liquid or cream is applied topically to the whole area being
treated (such as the entire face, scalp, back of the hands, back part of the
forearms, legs, feet, scalp, chest, or back).

The medication is allowed to air
dry for a few minutes, and then you will wait anywhere from 30-60 minutes for the
incubation time. Some areas such as chest, back, and particularly forearms and
legs require longer incubation times of two to 18 hours for better results. No two
people or skin on different areas of the body are exactly alike. PDT requires
physician adjustments for specific individualized incubation times and treatment
durations.

After the proper incubation time, you are brought back into the light-source room where the medication is activated with a specific wavelength light
source. There may be sensations of warmth, tingling, heat, or burning in some
patients. A fan can be used to help cool off during the treatment. The treatment
area is then washed off and sunscreen applied. Instructions are given on how to
care for the skin at home.